Reborn In a Murderer’s Embrace (Dexter) novel Chapter 369

“Phoebe, this stuff is great, tons of bubbles.” Colin squirted some shower gel onto a loofah and started scrubbing it.

I was soaking in the tub, one leg hanging over the edge, my face flushed with embarrassment. “Can you, like, leave? My hands are fine.”

He pretended not to hear, beginning to lather the foam over my legs.

I covered my face with my hands, feeling like he was meticulously cleaning his favorite action figure. “Caleb, please, just go.”

Colin kept on playing deaf, spreading the foam all over my body...

“Caleb!” My cheeks burnt with a mix of anger and embarrassment.

He stayed silent, just leaning on my shoulder, rinsing my back with the handheld shower.

“Phoebe... don’t listen to them, you’re not dumb, you’re perfectly fine... perfectly fine...” Colin whispered as if to comfort me. “They don't get it, it's them who don't understand.”

“Was the old me, not okay?” I asked quietly.

Colin’s body stiffened for a moment, then he shook his head. “Not that you weren’t okay...”

“Then what?” I looked at him.

He sat up straight, looking down to avoid my gaze. “You weren't happy, and I didn’t know how to make you happy.”

The Phoebe Caldwell of the past was devoid of emotions, her understanding and mimicry of feelings were all self-taught.

She would laugh when she thought normal people would laugh, cry when she thought they would cry.

In essence, she considered herself a monster, an outcast in society.

She didn’t even understand pain or joy.

“But now, I’m not happy either...” I felt like an idiot, not even sure of my own memories.

“Phoebe... forgetting is for the best.” Colin looked at me earnestly. “It was your choice to forget, it's all on you.”

I fell silent, the discomfort overwhelming.

If I turned back into my old self, would Colin still like me?

“Oh right...” Something suddenly came to mind. “Damian and Hailey...”

I was about to mention Damian and Hailey's plan to have Melody impersonate me, unsure if they had succeeded yet.

“Sir, Melody is here to see you,” Eric knocked on the door before I could finish, announcing Melody’s arrival.